Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Friday rejected the resignations of 13 Seemandhra MPs, including YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, as they (resignation letters) were “not genuine or voluntary.” Of them, 10 belong to the Congress, two to the YSRC and one to the TDP.
The MPs had wanted to quit their membership in protest against the Centre’s decision to bifurcate the State.
Decision is final, say LS officials
Informed sources said there was no possibility of filing appeal/request for reconsideration of the decision and the Speaker’s order is final. “There is no such provision under the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha.” The Speaker has taken the decision to reject the papers under Article 101 (3) of the Constitution and Rule 240 of LS procedure which deals with the procedure to be adopted by the Speaker when a member wants to quit from the House.
LS officials pointed out that under Article 101(3)(b), when such letter of resignation is received, the Speaker has to make appropriate enquiry as she deems fit to get satisfied that the member has taken such a decision on his/her own volition.
There is no time frame fixed in the Constitution or the rule of procedure for the Speaker to take her decision on such resignation issue. It is the exclusive jurisdiction of the Speaker and no one could intervene. The Speaker’s decision has to be taken carefully and there is no room for urgency, the officials said.
The 12 other MPs whose resignations have been rejected are: G.V. Harsha Kumar, K. Bapiraju, R. Sambasiva Rao, M. Sreenivasalu Reddy, S.P.Y. Reddy, A. Sai Prathap, L. Rajagopal, A. Venkatarami Reddy, V. Arun Kumar and Sabbam Hari (all Congress), K. Narayana (TDP) and Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy (YSRC).
Mr. Rajagopal, who represents Vijayawada in the House, has already moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction from the court to the Speaker to accept his resignation dated August 2. He claimed that the Speaker had no authority not to accept his resignation. The case is likely to come up for hearing soon.
